After a buy last couple of weeks of visiting family, starting my last graduate school class (yay!!!), and moving my grandpa into assisted living, I am back!

Two things for you today:

1. It's my two-week countdown to the end of summer! I will be busy busy busy the next two weeks preparing my classroom and I plan to share my endeavors with you. :)

2. I am contributing a goodie for my friend Desiree's 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway! Check out the details at the end of this post!

Two Week Countdown

I have a short two weeks of summer left! Two! So, I am finally slowing down the pinning and surfing for ideas, and springing into action on my t-do list. Today, I was going to get started moving furniture back in place in my classroom but, alas, the floors were about to be waxed in the main hallway so I only had enough time to unload a few boxes of stuff and pick up all my back to school files and stuff.

First up on my to-do list from that pile is cleaning off permanent marker written names off various little items like the cupcakes I decorate my door with and the clip-on name tags for the first few days (I know I got those from someone...can't remember who!). I'll also take stock of my supplies for transportation necklaces - these are a MUST in Kindergarten to me. I can see a a glance from these how a child gets home. You can get them at teacher supply stores, and then I 10 mil laminate them for durability. They take them off for the school day and then wear them home and back to school.

I also need to label these pencil pouches that I am using with this cool idea you really should check out HERE! I bought a case of pouches on Amazon. They seem sturdy and durable and the price was a little over $1 per pouch.

Then I will go through this pile and write my first week of school lesson plans. Joy! :)

Finally, there is shopping to be done, but I am really trying not to bust my budget. I will be eyeballing sales for the following items, so if you see a great deal let me know!!

binder pocket dividers for homework binders

stretchy cloth book covers. Surely those will be $1 each sometime in the next 3 weeks right??

UPDATE 7/23/13 My wonderful friend Leigh spotted book covers at Target for me! There are small ones for 69 cents but I opted to get the Jumbo book covers for $1 - and was able to get 6 each of blue, green, red, and black for my color coded tables! I am SO HAPPY. You can find them in with the school supplies. I will post tomorrow about what I am using these for. :)

a new laminator. Mine quit heating up. Recommendations on a new one that will live longer than two years, anyone??

clothespins. 'cause I love clipcharts. I think I may try dying them pretty colors, too.

Giveaways Week of 7/22

I am a contributor for Desiree's 2nd Blogiversary Giveaway! Go check out all the great prizes and enter to win. I am contributing a $10 Target card because I LOVE Target and the back-to-school stuff in the dollar spot. Maybe one day I'll have a TPT store to give items from, but for now it's gift cards to my favorite store. Good luck! Just click either image to go enter.

This next giveaway makes me hungry! I have never eaten at Chipotle, maybe I'll win a giftcard to go try it??

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comments:

Hi Carol! I just found your blog. I am your newest follower! It is so pretty. I am in the stage of making my countdown to-do list, too. :( But I feel so much better once I have that list! :) I'd love you to stop over to my blog if you get a chance! CarolynKindergarten: Holding Hands and Sticking Together